Traffic Signal Management Plans

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U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
Office of Operations
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590

FHWA-HOP-15-038

November 2015

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An Objectives- and Performance-based Approach for Improving the Design Operations and Maintenance of Traffic Signal Systems

Table of Contents

[ Technical Report Documentation Page ] [ Notices ] [ SI* (Modern Metric) Conversion Factors ]

Executive Summary
Chapter 1. Purpose of this Guidebook
	Introduction
	Good Basic Service and Program Reliability
	The Objectives-Driven Process
Chapter 2. Operational Objectives and Performance
	Factors to Consider in Selecting Measures
Chapter 3. How to Create the Traffic Signal Management Plan
	Involve the Appropriate Stakeholders or Staff
	Scale and Scope of the Document
	Obtain Appropriate Levels of Approval
	Approach
	Process
Chapter 4. Outline for Traffic Signal Management Plans
	Executive Summary
	Chapter 1 - Introduction and Background
	Chapter 2 - Goals and Objectives
	Chapter 3 - Maintenance
	Chapter 4 - Operations
	Chapter 5 - Design
	Chapter 6 - Management and Administration
	Chapter 7 - Interagency Communication & Collaboration
	Chapter 8 - Action Plan
Appendix A. Performance Measurement Case Studies
Acknowledgements
References

List of Figures

Figure 1. Graphic. Would a traffic signal management plan be helpful for my agency?

Figure 2. Graphic. Relationships among agency documents

Figure 3. Graphic. Good basic service components

Figure 4. Graphic. Notable interactions needed to achieve good basic service.

Figure 5. Graphic. Goals, context, objectives, strategies, and tactics (GOST) pyramid.

Figure 6. Diagram. Planner and operator approaches to traffic signal management planning.

Figure 7. Diagram. Planner vs. operator goals, context, objectives, strategies, and tactics (GOST) perspective.

Figure 8. Diagram. Traffic signal management plan development flow chart

Figure 9. Diagram. Traffic signal management plan context diagram.

Figure 10. Diagram. High-level system concept diagram.

Figure 11. Map. Distribution of MAC Address Readers in Mesa, Arizona.

Figure 12. Map. Location of Ygnacio Valley Road, Walnut Creek.

Figure 13. Chart. Illustration of demand variation on Ygnacio Valley Road.

Figure 14. Chart. Sample analysis using Bluetooth and traffic volume data

Figure 15. Graph. Sample BlueToad™ travel time report for Ygnacio Valley Road

Figure 16. Diagram. Sample Purdue Coordination Diagram.

Figure 17. Diagram. Corridor arrival on green report.

Figure 18. Graph. Using arrivals on green for optimization of offsets.

Figure 19. Graph. Termination monitor report.

Figure 20. Graph. Split monitor report.

Figure 21. Graph. Phase termination by max-out at night.

Figure 22. Graph. Split monitor helped identify problem.

Figure 23. Graph. Split monitor shows problem cleared.

List of Tables

Table 1. Typical outcome performance measures

Table 2. Summary of performance measure case studies

Table 3. Output performance measures

Table 4. Outcome performance measures

Table 5. Example agency transportation goals

Table 6. Example agency transportation plan policies

Table 7. Example traffic signal management objectives

Table 8. Example traceability between goals, objectives and strategies

Table 9. Performance measures used in traffic signal management plans

Table 10. Example proactive maintenance tactics

Table 11. Example reactive maintenance tactics

Table 12. Example administrative maintenance tactics

Table 13. Example maintenance implementation verification metrics

Table 14. Example system efficiency tactics

Table 15. Example signal coordination tactics

Table 16. Example multimodal safety and efficiency tactics

Table 17. Example intersection efficiency tactics

Table 18. Example regional coordination and compatibility tactics

Table 19. Example operations implementation verification metrics

Table 20. Example operations support tactics

Table 21. Example maintenance support tactics

Table 22. Example multimodal accommodation tactics

Table 23. Example regional coordination and compatibility tactics

Table 24. Example design management tactics

Table 25. Example operations implementation verification metrics

Table 26. Example personnel tactics

Table 27. Example interdepartmental coordination tactics

Table 28. Example budgeting and programming tactics

Table 29. Example customer service tactics

Table 30. Example management and administration implementation verification metrics

Table 31. Sample traffic signal management plan action plan